Consensus at the Table: Equity, Negotiation, and Stakeholder Power

A new episode of Beyond Trauma is now live, featuring Lawrence Susskind, Ford Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In the episode, Susskind discusses how consensus is built in complex, high-stakes settings, from urban planning to environmental disputes. The conversation explores the idea of being a “pracademic,” blending academic theory with real-world practice, and highlights key tools for effective negotiation, including stakeholder assessments, neutral facilitation, and inclusive decision-making.

Susskind also reflects on lessons from mediating renewable energy siting disputes, emphasizing the importance of involving communities early in the process so that projects move forward more effectively and equitably.

Susskind co-founded the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School and is the founder of the Consensus Building Institute, a nonprofit that provides mediation services for resource management conflicts around the world.

To learn more, tune in to the podcast here.